So, have you made them ever? Onion Rings, that is. The quintessential finger-food that is oh-so-satisfying, grease and all, and made even more perfect on a Friday night when you can kick back and say, “It’s Friday night, and everything’s all right!” Well, alright, maybe not EVERYthing, but you know what I mean. See for yourself my idea of serving up Onion Rings, each one a work of art, not to mention the crispiest and tastiest bite ever!
Tag: Veggie
The Simplest (And Most Comforting!) Indian Meal
Some time back, I had offered up a post titled The Simplest Indian Meal. Today’s is a variation of the same, with only a few additional components to the meal and a modification of the title which includes the words (and most-resounding sentiment of): And Most Comforting! It was a meal that I made last night for dinner– and that I’ve made countless times before! Check out the slideshow below for pictures of each of the items that comprise the meal. For the uninitiated, I will spell them out again below the show:
1. Rice (always Basmati, even for the everyday use)
2. Whole-wheat Rotis, aka Chapatis
3. Pheeki Dal made w/ arhar or toor dal.
4. Subzi (anything will do; this one is a Jalfrezi-style mixed veggies)
5. Achar (one of my favorite pickles: Gongura by Priya)
6. Appalams (a strong influence of my Tamil husband)
7. Plain White Yogurt, aka Curds
Unusual Subzis and Bagels with Poached Eggs
Okay, so you know all about Subzis, the Hindi word for vegetables cooked as a side-dish. Subzis are ubiquitous to Indian cooking, and go with everything from rice and rotis, and are a staple food item on your plate, day in and day out. And of course, there are certain combinations of vegetables that go together traditionally: cauliflower (gobi) and potatoes, cauliflower and peas, spinach and potatoes, spinach and tomatoes and such. Well, there’s traditional, and then there’s me. Because, I think it’s quite alright to bring together two veggies that don’t traditionally go together: cauliflower and spinach, for instance.
Which is what I made for dinner last night. Seasoned with onions, garlic, ginger, and a pinch of garam masala, I sauteed the spinach for a couple of minutes in an open pressure-cooker before I added the cauliflower florets and a half cup of water, and put the lid on the cooker to build up the steam for a total of ten minutes. Turn off the stove, and let it stand for another ten minutes before you unlock the lid. Do not stir the subzi because the florets are too tender and might get mashed. Serve with parathas like I did, or rotis, if you wish!
The next morning, get creative if you wish, with serving the same subzi with two poached eggs and a toasted bagel. What is that you say, you’ve never heard of that combo? Well, that’s alright, because here’s what it all looks like.
And like we say around here: Yeh hui na baat!
Dosai, Podimas & Garlic-Chilli Chutney
So, for the uninitiated, Dosai or Dosas as they are more commonly known are the most delectable crepe-like pancakes made of fermented rice and lentils. They’re served any time of the day, and could be breakfast, lunch, dinner, or a snack. Check out the slideshow above for how they look while they’re cooking in a dosa tava and later when they’re served on a plate.
And so these Dosais, they go with just about anything. The classic accompaniments are a variety of chutneys, and a seasoned mashed-potato filling. The not-so-classic accompaniments include two that I served up this morning: Eggs Podimas and Garlic-Chili Chutney.
The Podimas is a simple way of breaking the eggs directly into the pan of finely-chopped sauteeing onions. Only, I gave it a twist by adding a Mexican seasoning of cilantro and annato available in a popular brand called Sazon Goya.
The Garlic-Chilli Chutney is a home-made staple you will find in my refrigerator at all times.
And what better beverage to wash it all down than home-made Cappucinos?
Mmmm! Mmmm! Mmmm!
Yep, that’s how we roll sometimes on a Saturday morning!
Oh, and just in case you’re wondering, mine is the larger cup!
Super Bowl of Bounties
Well, if you think I mean Chilli and Chips-and-Dip, or Buffalo Chicken-Wings and Pizza, well, no, I didn’t mean that kind of Super Bowl fare.
Granted these are the standard finger-foods for this great American event– the annual NFL football championship–each year in late January/early February, but I was referring more to the bounties of a Sunday afternoon lunch. The bounties on our table today were all glorious in their effective simplicity:
- A traditional Indian-style Egg Curry (only I halved the boiled eggs)
- A Chicken & Mushroom Stirfry w/ paprika and chives
- A Broccoli & Yellow Potatoes sidedish w/ red onions, garlic and coconut-chutney seasonings
- Greek-style Pitas lightly stove-top toasted
Here’s what it looked like:
Glorious Leftovers
I was thinking that if ever your dinner plate on an ordinary weekday looks as grand as this– and when you know that every item on that plate is a leftover, well, then you are certifiably fortunate!
Because when leftovers are as glorious and grand as these, imagine what a fresh meal might look and taste like!
p.s. and in case you’re wondering about what’s what exactly, going clockwise from the whole-wheat rotis, you have palak saag, chicken curry and broccoli subzi! yeh hui na baat!
In A Jiffy
First published on Monday, November 24, 2008, here’s another one for the files…
So, its been one of those days when my back’s been acting up again. Actually, the timing of this isn’t so bad really. I am currently taking a respite from work, and bad back or not, I am already predisposed to lying on it anyway! To read, to nap, to watch some TV, and of course, to just take it easy. But the fact remains that a bad back is a pain—in the back and in the mind. Because apart from the discomfort of the pain, there is the persistent fear that one might become confined to a bed or a chair to the point of becoming immobilized. Now, that is a painful thought!
So, it is with such thoughts in mind today that I initially told myself that I couldn’t make any dinner tonight. Well, that is what I thought I told myself, until, I told myself that I could. And so, with a stiff back and not too many sudden movements, I decided to put something together. And I did. In thirty-five minutes flat.
Now, the point that I’m trying to make here is two-fold: the capability to exercise one’s mind to control one’s body—and this is indeed an amazing thing when you think about how the mind can be such an effective tool when even modern medicine can sometimes prove ineffective. The second point I wish to make is to attribute certain personal characteristics to those that we imbibe them from—and I’m not going to get into the big nature vs. nurture debate here—in this case, my abilities to multitask with speed and efficiency can only be attributed directly to what I have picked up from my mother. 🙂
Bottom line for the day: I was able to put together this meal in a jiffy. Back pain and all notwithstanding. And I was told it wasn’t too shabby either– the meal, that is. Fact is, I saw for myself that it was literally finger-lickin’ good.
Here’s what took thirty-five minutes: masoor dal, palak sabzi and white rice. The chicken curry from yesterday took three minutes to reheat in the microwave.
Not bad, eh? 🙂
Two Green Subzis On A Snowy Day (And A Side Of Lamb Shanks!)
Well, the snow is pretty blinding if you continue to stare out the window, and since I’m not in the mood to make any snow-angels outside, I thought of doing the next best thing: being an angel in the kitchen. Yeah, yeah, I know that’s lame, but still, if it conjures up images of me flying around between stove and sink and refrigerator, well, you’ve come up with a half-decent picture, I’d say. And what would all that angelic activity produce? The most angelic dishes, of course. Fit for a heavenly feast. Here’s what:
- A Palak Saag made with spinach and tomatoes, and seasoned with red onions, garlic and dry red chillies.
- A Broccoli Subzi seasoned with cumin, red onions, garlic and coconut-chutney.
- A hearty batch of Lamb Shanks pressure-cooked for starters, and then seasoned in the skillet with fried onions and a secret masala.
I guess I’ll serve this up with fresh hot white Basmati rice and whole-wheat Rotis later tonight. Picture a bunch of devils feasting on all this glorious fare!
